Description
These Baked Chicken Chimichangas are a delicious and healthier twist on the traditional deep-fried version. Filled with seasoned chicken, refried beans, melted cheeses, and wrapped in large flour tortillas, they are baked until golden and crispy. Perfect for a satisfying family dinner, these chimichangas combine savory spices with creamy textures and easy oven baking for a flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Filling
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil (1 oz)
- ½ yellow onion, small diced (about 100g)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (1 Tbsp)
- 2 chicken breasts, cut into small strips (500g)
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- ½ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup chicken broth (2 oz)
- 1 8 oz can tomato sauce (227g)
- 2 cups Colby Jack cheese, shredded (8 oz)
- 4 oz cream cheese
Assembly
- 1 16 oz can refried beans
- 4 large flour tortillas
- Non-stick cooking spray
- ¼ cup sour cream (for topping)
Instructions
- Prep Ingredients: Gather all ingredients. Dice the yellow onion and mince the garlic. Cut the chicken breasts into small strips. Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease an 8×8 inch oven-safe baking dish.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat vegetable oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add diced onions and minced garlic once oil is hot and sauté for about 2 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Cook Chicken and Season: Add the chicken strips to the pan. Season with chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until the chicken is lightly cooked on the outside.
- Deglaze Pan: Pour in the chicken broth to deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping up any browned bits. Reduce the liquid by half over 3-4 minutes to concentrate flavors.
- Add Tomato Sauce and Simmer: Stir in the canned tomato sauce and allow the mixture to simmer for 4-5 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Melt Cheeses into Sauce: Remove the pan from heat and stir in shredded Colby Jack and cream cheese until fully melted and combined, forming a creamy filling.
- Assemble Chimichangas: Lay out the large flour tortillas. Evenly spread refried beans over each tortilla leaving a 2-inch border. Spoon the chicken and cheese filling evenly in the center of each tortilla. Fold in the sides and roll up tightly like burritos, sealing the filling inside.
- Prepare for Baking: Place the assembled chimichangas seam-side down into the greased 8×8 baking dish. Lightly spray the tops with non-stick cooking spray for crisping.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until tortillas are golden brown and crispy on top.
- Serve: Remove chimichangas from oven and serve hot topped with sour cream and any additional desired toppings such as salsa or guacamole.
Notes
- I prefer using Better Than Bouillon for the chicken broth to keep the cost and preparation simple.
- The canned tomato sauce used here is typical in the U.S.; if unavailable, passata works as a close substitute.
- For best results, use large burrito-sized flour tortillas to hold all the filling comfortably.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chimichanga
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
